Common Ground

Nominate someone like Ramon Rivera for a Jefferson Award

Here's your chance to nominate someone in your community for a state and regional civic award. We are partnering with the Community Foundation of North Central Washington and Seattle's CityClub in the state Jefferson Awards, the Nobel prize of community service.

Our arrangement with CityClub is that every person from NCW who is nominated for the state award will be automatically nominated for the NCW Civic Achievement Awards.

Here's one person who deserves to be nominated: Ramon Rivera of Mariachi Huenachi. I've started the process to put his name in for state and regional recognition. Rivera has energized that program in the Wenatchee Valley and has created opportunities to encourage and motivate students to seek higher education. During the group's frequent tours around the state to perform, they visit universities and introduce students to higher education.

His program was lauded by the University of Washington last year. He is a remarkable human being who creates opportunities for a diverse group of students, including developmentally delayed students, to participate.

There are dozens of people who deserve statewide and regional recognition for their efforts. To nominate someone for the Jefferson Award and the NCW Civic Achievement Award, simply log on to seattlecityclub.org/initiatives/jefferson-awards and click on the nomination button.

Let's make sure our region is well represented in these statewide awards. What other unsung heroes are out there who are making a difference in North Central Washington?